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It's after a long adventure that resulted in everyone being electrocuted by deadly eels that Zooble starts to laugh. First as a soft snort, then a chortle, before exploding into laughter. The kind thats tinted with disbelief and stretched too thin, and how one sharp nail could tear it apart.
Everyone stares at them. Jax would make a comment but his teeth had been bashed in. Pomni is being helped by Kinger from getting out of a net. Gangle had been whisked off by Caine, onto another torture session he recently started. Everyone grew used to it after the twentieth time. And despite the look of concerns, Zooble laid down and roared with laughter that sounded too fragile, too stretched thin.
It's, of course, Ragatha who approaches them. "Zooble?" she began hesitantly. "Are you-Is something the matter?"
And Zooble only shakes their head and continues to laugh. They're lying flat on their back, antennae shaking and twisting from the sudden hysteria gripping them.
Kinger glances over with curiosity. "Did I miss the punchline?" he asks sincerely. "What are they laughing about?"
Only then did Zooble speak up. "That!" they exclaimed, pointing a claw at Kinger's direction. "And this-this stupid adventure!"
Ragatha knelt down. Even dripping wet, the concern she had was beautiful. "What about it?"
"Its-It just hit me how much easier it is to be myself here than in the real fucking world!" they exclaimed, and words flowed out of them. Like someone had popped open the cork of a champagne bottle. "Do you know how many assholes who bitched about me being nonbinary every single time? The amount of awkward situations I've been in? Those fucking awful questions-oh my God-"
"Zooble, maybe just-"
"But, here?" If they had a mouth, a bright and manic grin would be spreading across Zooble's face as they faced Ragatha. "Even in Caine's bullshit game they don't mess up when they talk to me! They just move on and don't care-and I love it. Best thing about this damn place!"
They all stared. Zooble pretended not to notice. They were always aware of stares because, as a human, they made a point to show their identity. Didn't matter how loud the color in their hair was or the patches on her jacket-it was all for them. The people who insisted on poking and prodding were uninvited guests. And yet, somehow, an AI made a note to include his NPCs to not misgender Zooble.
More laugher tumbled out of them as their left arm clattered to the ground, worn from today's adventure.